SDI in GreeceSDI in Greece

Poulicos PrastacosPoulicos Prastacos

Director of ResearchDirector of ResearchInstitute of Applied and Computational MathematicsInstitute of Applied and Computational Mathematics

Foundation for Research and Technology-HellasFoundation for Research and Technology-HellasHrakleion, GreeceHrakleion, Greece

Poulicos@iacm.forth.gr

Outline of presentationOutline of presentation

Institutional context

The various agencies

Alternative paths for the future

Institutional contextInstitutional context

A single agency responsible for implementing the SDI does not exist

Several agencies/ministries involved with the production of data of their own interest

Driver for the implementation of some standards is the “Information Society” organization responsible for distributing funds

There is discussion for implementing INSPIRE standards

The AgenciesThe Agencies

Ministry of Public Works and the Environment– OKXE : Established in 1986 to be the Mapping Agency of

Greece– KTIMATOLOGIO SA: Private company with one

shareholder (OKXE) established to implement the cadaster– EDPER: Environmental information– Various other agencies

Ministry of Defense– GYS: Hellenic Military Geographical Service; Traditionally

the mapping agency of Greece– YY: Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service

The AgenciesThe Agencies

Ministry of Agriculture– Various agencies responsible for developing databases for

forests, agriculture (grape, olive cadaster etc.)

Ministry of National Economy– ESYE: Statistical office of Greece– Information Society: Organization for distributing the funds

received from the EU (structural funds)

Ministry of Development– IGME: Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration

The surveyThe survey

6 agencies filled questionnaires 2 agencies obtained most data from their web

SDI in its formal name does not exist in any organization but in the last few years an effort has been made to start developing datasets and making them available to the public

Significant effort is made at the city and regional level to develop GIS systems and establish a component that will permit dissemination of information to the general public

The answers to the surveyThe answers to the survey User groups

– Public agencies, public Technological level

– Mostly based on ESRI products, GEOMEDIA (Agriculture)– Open source products are not used

Originality, innovation

Use of Inspire principles– Only in few agencies

Benefits beyond the usual benefits from SDI– Ministry of Agriculture: subsidies for farmers– Ktimatologio SA: HEPOS system

The answers to the surveyThe answers to the survey

Extending it to other countries– Could be extended if there are similar interests

User feedback– Nothing in written form

Links to national SDI web page– National sdi web page does not exist– There are usually links from the home page of the ministry

Language– Only the web sites of GYS and YY are in English discussing the

various products available

Metadata– Not available on-line– Sometimes available off-line

Some examples of good practicesSome examples of good practices

KTIMATOLOGIO SA: – Development of the HEPOS (Hellenic Positioning System) – Aerial photography of the whole country and

orthophotomaps that could be distributed to other public agencies

Statistical Service of Greece– Establishment of policies to distribute city road maps at a

relatively low cost

GYS:– Development of a web site describing fully their products

and giving the capability to users to order products on line

The futureThe future

Greece has lost some time in developing an SDI for various reasons (lack of clear objectives, funds, bureaucracy, myopic stakeholders …)

However, the problems are not insurmountable

The problems are not technological but institutional arising from the lack to address the issue of map availability and distribution (SDI) in a cooperative way

There is a need to address the problems that exist and take decisions at high levels of government and break the barriers that exist among various agencies of the various ministries

Alternative pathsAlternative paths

OKXE finally becomes the mapping agency not only in words but also in reality– It is designated as the responsible organization

and with funding coming mostly from the EU (ESPA) new maps are developed

– All agencies remain independent and somehow a memorandum of cooperation is established

– Private contractors do the various tasks and deliver the products to the public agencies

– Public agencies responsible for maintenance etc.

Alternative pathsAlternative paths

OKXE establishes a private company– OKXE responsible but similar to the cadaster

system a private company wholly owned by the Ministry is established to develop the SDI

– Could be Ktimatologio SA– This approach will permit quick decisions– Funding from EU (if permitted)

Alternative pathsAlternative paths

Public – Private partnerships– Private sector develops under strict rules the SDI

and makes it available to the public sector and the public.

– Develops not only datasets but also tools needed in the various agencies

– Responsible for maintenance etc.– Funding provided by the private sector (banks

etc.) and the public sector pays every year a lump sum (not per use)

ConclusionsConclusions

Presently there is no SDI in Greece However, significant efforts have been made

in the last years There is need to take some decisions with

respect who develops, who manages, who maintains the SDI.

The failures of the last 20 years should be recognized and a new way of addressing the issues should prevail